You Don't Know Me
by MissDevon
Summary: After leaving Landview and ending up in Springfield, Natalie is stunned to find pictures of 2 men who look like her father and uncle but who are known by other names. Compeled to investigate, she finds more than anyone bargained for.
1. Chapter 1

OK, just something that my twisted little mind conjured up because as much as I love JVD he's just so _not _Clint, and in so many ways he's turning Clint into Ross. And it got me thinking on how some other recasts just aren't working for me and how some characters are in scenes where they just don't belong only because the characters they played on other shows used to be couples and their characters when other actors played them worked together. I'm also bringing back some favorite 'dead' characters and using some underused ones, and although this is Nataliecentric, it won't necessarily be Jolie. . . enjoy the ride.

_**You Don't Know Me**_

What makes us who we are?

Is it who we tell people we are?

Who we pretend to be?  
The names we go by?  
The ones people call us by?

What makes up our identity?

Is it our faces?  
They're easily changed.

Easily erased from others memories as time goes by,

So, what makes a person a person of any sort of substance?

What makes them one that is remarkable?  
Rememberable?  
Someone that someone else can't just walk in one day and fool everyone into believing that they're them.

Someone else entirely.

Don't think it can happen?  
Well, I suppose, I don't blame you.

Until recently, I would've told you it couldn't have. Not on the scale that I now know it can.

The scale that now has me questioning every person I've ever trusted,

See, I knew it _could_ happen.

It happened to the man I loved, after an accident.

I mean, he was burnt and misidentified. . . I always swore that if my uncle had let me go to the scene I would have known better. I mean, I always said I felt deep down that he wasn't dead. That he was out there.

I turned out to be right. . .

But, the things I didn't know. . .

The ones I stumbled upon. . .

The lies. . .

Half truths. . .

The people who are still lying. . . fighting. . . hurting. . . some who have no choice, some who have too many. . .

And one question remains for me.

What makes any of us think we have the right to tell any of them that they were wrong?

I hear the fighting.

The accusations.

I probably made a few when I started my search for the truth.

That's how I ended up here, in this hospital bed, unable to get up and run away from the screaming and fighting. Unable to know which father to trust--- to comfort.

To help my mother.

My siblings.

And the others. . .

Some thank me. . . say I've managed to do more in a few months than any of them in years. . . but is that a good thing?  
All I've managed to do is unleash more questions and anger.

And I didn't mean to.

And I can hear my mother's voice as she walked out of this room echoing in the silence of my throbbing head: "Of course you didn't mean for this to happen, you never do," while my uncle stood there shaking his head in disappointment and a man who was claiming to be my father looked on in confusion while his real daughter looked at him in agony. . . and what was I supposed to do?

Let it continue?

For what?

I didn't know how far it went.

(Admittedly, none of them did.

No way saw how connected it was.

I was the one who found the connections.

The one who wouldn't let this go.)

All because I just wanted to get away.

From them.

My father and his disappointment in how I just couldn't meet his expectations at BE.

My sister and how I wasn't getting over John fast enough.

And Jared.

Jared and all he represented.

I should've known then that something was wrong.

Because Jessie---the _real _Jessie--- wouldn't have been pushing me towards someone like him, not even to save herself.

She would've been telling me to run for the hills.

She would've gone to Dad.

She wouldn't have isolated us.

No, she would've called in reinforcements besides me.

I saw it then as her getting stronger.

As the integration working--- I should've known better.

Should've known that there was more to the story of her and Jared than what they told me and Nash.

I knew he was a con.

Why didn't I see that she was one too?

That she wasn't the only one. . .

There were so many signs.

But we were blind to them. . . only, not all of us.

Not really.

Because, as I would come to find out, some people knew the truth.

They helped to perpetrate the lies.

The hoaxes that stole a man away from his family.

That kept my father away from me.

Only, I didn't recognize it then.

What does it say about me that I was so easily fooled that I couldn't recognize imposters in my own midst?

That it took me being outside of Land View, seeing pictures of men I shouldn't have known to put me on the path to a truth I never would've expected. . .

Chapter 1

Three Months Earlier

Springfield Illinois

_It was pictures that started it._

_Pictures of life my boyfriend hadn't been fully a part of._

_Pictures for a birthday present he and his brother were putting together._

_Innocent enough really, but they would be images that would haunt me till I had to find out the truth. . . _

Natalie Balsom laughed as she handed the picture of Buzz Cooper and his late ex-wife Nadine to her boyfriend, and the man's youngest son, Rocky Cooper. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope, that's the way he tells the story," Rocky replied, his English accent heavy under his laughter as his sister Harley came up behind him and glared at Natalie: "Rocky, you better get going or you're going to miss class. You can't afford. . ."

"I'm pulling up those grades, sis," he replied easily.

"I still don't understand how. . ." Harley started to complain as she put her purse on the counter. "You haven't come to me or Frank for help, or asked any of the techs we recommended to tutor you."

"Found one on my own," he shot back as Natalie picked up one of the pictures that lay on the table and stared at it. "Besides, I want to get more pictures picked out for the slideshow for Dad's birthday."

"Your forensic classes should come first."

"Yeah, like you put your police work first," he replied sarcastically. "Besides, we're going over breaking and entering techniques today. You really think with Mum's family I'm going to have trouble putting together crime scene theories for that?"

Rolling her eyes, Harley glared at her brother's girlfriend: "find something interesting?"

"Ummm. . . no, not really," Natalie replied uneasily as she dropped the picture of Buzz with Blake Marler and her father.

Grabbing it, Harley smiled sadly, then asked suspiciously: "You knew Ross?"

"Who?" Natalie asked as she picked up another picture and handed it to Rocky. "This is a nice one of you and Coop."

"Yeah, it is," he said smiling at her.

"Guy in the picture with Blake and my dad. You were staring at him. Figured you must have known him," Harley pushed.

"What?" Natalie asked distractedly as she fished through the pictures looking for more of Rocky and his father, of which there were apparently fewer than her and her family. "I. . . uh. . . he looked like someone else," she answered as she paused at another picture, this one of Harley in a wedding dress. Freezing, she tried to comprehend looking into her uncle's face next to the woman next to her.

"What you find?" Rocky asked.

"Ummmm. . .."

"Yeah, that's not going into the slideshow," he laughed. "Although, you and Dinah getting into it sure would be interesting."

"Shut up, smartass," Harley said as she grabbed the picture from him.

"Whatz up with you and Mallet these days anyway? Or is it you and Dylan? Oh, no wait. . . you and . . ."

"I said, shut up."

"That's Mallet?" Natalie asked surprised.

"Ah yeah? What you have some sort of problem?" Harley asked.

"No. He. . . he just looks different now, that's all." Natalie sputtered.

"Yeah, some people age more gracefully than others, don't they sis?" Rocky pressed.

"Don't you have some place to be?" she asked.

"Yeah. Sure. I can finish this later," he shrugged good naturedly as he got off the stool. "You up to helping me some more tonight?" he asked Natalie.

"Yeah, after Ash and I close up. I can probably do that," she smiled. "You want me to put aside what we already have or upload it?"

"Upload it and I will owe you big time."

"Ahhh. . . told Coop you were further along with this then you are didn't you?" she laughed.

"Just don't. . ."

"I'll have it done before I start my shift. . . unless I have to start early. . ." she smiled as she started to put the pictures he wanted in the slideshow in one pile while Harley pretended to peruse the others.

Once Rocky left, Natalie sighed, knowing that the older woman would let her have it.

It was no secret to her that Harley found her lacking.

That she thought she was after something--- money or standing--- from Rocky.

She was only surprised that Harley or Frank hadn't already run a background check on her and found out who she really was, but she supposed that Marina, Coop, and Buzz had talked them out of it. "Find any pictures you want me to add?"

Harley looked up at her and tapped the edge of one picture against the bar top: "my brother's not here. I don't have to make nice. You want to tell me what the real story with the pictures is?"

"I told you. He reminded me of someone else," Natalie shrugged as she stood up.

"And your problem with the wedding picture of me and Mallet?"

"Didn't look like Mallet?" Natalie half asked as she moved to put the rest of the pictures away.

"Riiiiiight. What the hell type of game are you trying to play?"

"I'm not."

"You looked like you saw a ghost when you saw those pictures. Especially the one of me and Mallet."

"Look, I told you. The one of Buzz with Blake and that. . . what was his name?'

"Ross… Ross Marler. Her late husband."

"Right. Ross. Whatever. He reminded me of someone else, ok?" Natalie asked as she dropped pictures into a box.

"Mind if I ask who?"

"My dad, ok?" Natalie sighed. "And he happens to be alive and well. We're just not on the best of terms right now. Can we leave it at that?"

Harley narrowed her eyes: "What about the other picture? Mallet remind you of someone else all of a sudden too?" she asked condescendingly.

Natalie turned away from her, swallowing back tears: "I must just have my family on my mind. But. . . it must have been the angle or something. . . I mean Mallet looks nothing like him in person. . . I was just looking at pictures too long."

"You really are a piece of work, aren't you? Think a few tears will work on me?"

"No, Harley. I don't," Natalie said as she picked up the box of photos: "frankly, I think you're one cold hearted bitch, which just proves to me why it was just a trick of my mind that the man I thought was in that photo was. He never would've been with someone like you. He had too much heart."

"Had?" Harley asked her retreating form.

"Yeah," Natalie answered as she stopped and shifted slightly to look back at her. "He died. People never came straight out and said it, but. . . well, a lot of them thought it was my fault. Thought if I had never shown up. . . never brought Alison back into their lives. . . but, if Mitch hadn't of found the real thing. . . I have no doubt in my mind that he would have turned some poor girl into what he wanted to cause even more trouble for my family than I did back than.

My only consolation is that it wasn't some con that killed him.

That and that because he died other people--- including my mom--- got the chance to live."

"How?"

"He was an organ donor. Mom got his heart--- since he was her husband, you could say it was in more ways than one," Natalie finished before turning. "Now, if there's nothing else. . ."

"No. Not now, but one of these days. . ."

"My past is my past, Harley. It has no bearing on my life here."

"If it hurts my brother it does."

"Well, that's why Rocky and I keep it light. So neither of us gets hurt. I've been hurt enough to last a few lifetimes."

Chapter 2

_If only it had been that easy. . . _

_I didn't upload the pictures right away that afternoon._

_Instead I hunted through the box for other pictures until I found others of this Ross and ones of Mallet. _

_I didn't question the ones of this Ross so much. . . not then. _

_Sure. . . he looked like my dad, but maybe I was just seeing something I wanted to then. _

_Maybe I really did just miss my family._

_But the Mallet pictures. . ._

_That was where the oddities popped out._

_In the older ones he looked like Ben and in the newer ones he looked like the Mallet I had met here in Springfield._

_And I couldn't let that go._

_Especially not when the nightmares started._

_Not when I started remembering my father as looking as someone different from this Ross._

_When he was taller._

_Broader._

_Built more like Cord._

_With jet black hair and shoulders that could carry all my problems._

_With a deep voice that made me feel safe._

_When he was a man that I knew I could count on._

_That wouldn't tease me about someone like Jared._

_That wouldn't think he was the 'right man' for his little girl._

_When he was a man who would have demanded answers from me and Jessica instead of accepting half truths._

_When he wouldn't have accepted someone like Nash._

_Would've gone after John for breaking my heart._

_Wouldn't have broken Mom's by being with Dorian._

_Would've demanded that Uncle Bo find away for get me back into the forensics program or gotten Grandpa to pay someone off to do it. . ._

_  
So many things I should've seen and didn't._

_But there was one that stood out more and more for me the more I thought about it, and I knew that I had to confront the one person who might know the answer. Might be able to tell me the truth. Who might not have been fooled._

_He wasn't with us that day._

_It hadn't really made sense._

_But, I had supposed it was because he was so much older._

_(I mean Matthew wasn't because he was younger.)_

_But he had reacted to us different._

_He didn't come when called like Kevin and Joey did._

_Was he afraid he'd slip?_

_If so? Why? _

_But before I went I had to be sure I was right. . ._

Natalie sat at her computer shaking as she toggled back and fought between the images.

Covering her mouth, she doubled over in realization that she had been right.

The dates of the pictures proved it.

The BANNER pictures of Clint Buchanan pre-Ross Marler's death showed the man who haunted her dreams and begged her to find him. The ones that were dated after the plane crash that presumably killed the Springfield attorney showed images of a man who bore very little resemblance to the Buchanan patriarch in his prime and much more to Marler. "How. . . how is this possible. . . how could they have pulled it off?" she muttered to herself as a few of the pictures finished printing out.

Swallowing back bile, she pushed to her feet started to pace. "Some of the family had to have known.

Think Natalie. . . how do you handle this.

You can't just. . .

G-d Marler has kids. . . they're Starr's and Matthew's ages. . . and there's Dinah too. . ." shaking she fell onto the edge of the bed. "I can't tell anyone here. . . or there. . . but how. . .Forensics. . . Forensics will prove. . .so think forensically. . .you don't have the face recognition software. . . but you can get it. . . if you get your PI license. . . but you need Harley or Frank's help with that. . . Frank would probably be the better pitch. . . in the meantime. . .Henry. . . Henry took the transfer that John got him. . .he'll help. You got him through the class. . .you just have to call him. And then. . .then don't leave the pictures lying around where they can be found. . . and get a copy of the crash report. . . Can't get it on your own right now. . . Get Rex to do it. . .Have him e-mail a copy then get rid of it. . . you know how. . . they taught you. . . you just have to calm down and think that's all. . . you know the steps. . . take one at a time," she reminded herself. "In fact don't call Rex. . . you have to know some one at the FAA. . . someone through John. . . just relax and think. . . you'll figure it out. . ."

hr

"So, why should I help you?" Frank asked suspiciously.

Natalie shrugged: "I could use the extra income?" she half asked.

"Right."

"Look, I can get the license with or without your help. I just hoped you could expedite it."

"You know how hard it is to pass the test?" Frank asked her. "Believe me, I know I used to be a PI."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"You sound surprised."

"You're just so by the book."

"Wasn't always," Frank admitted as he put down his cup of coffee and stared at her. "Why do you want to be a PI?"

"Because I'd make a lousy cop and I can't be a forensic tech," she admitted.

Frank raised an eyebrow at that: "You're the one who tutored Rocky?"

"Yeah."

"Then why. . ?"

"Truth?"

"That would be nice, especially since you want this favor."

Natalie rounded the bar and perched on the stool across from him: "ok. Long story short. I was seriously involved with a detective. Worked as the Commissioner's PA. Helped out where I could. Someone suggested I go into forensics. I really liked it. I didn't do too well on my first few assignments, but I think it was their way of making me prove myself. I worked doubly hard. Took extra shifts in the field when I could. . ."

"I don't see. . ."

"The guy I was involved with was presumed dead in a multi-vehicle accident on a major interstate near us. It was bad. I didn't want to believe it. Took it really hard. . . they gave me some leeway. I was just starting back when a friend helped me prove that the man identified as the town's ADA wasn't. . . he was. . ."

"Your boyfriend."

"Right. Alive, but seriously burned.

It was bad and it took more time for him to heal.

They were good about it. . . and I was back. . . he was at the hospital when he shouldn't have been. There was a murder. . . trace evidence pointed to him or his doctor brother. .."

"You tampered with it," Frank guessed.

"Yeah, I did," Natalie admitted. "I couldn't face losing him again. I lost him anyway in the end."

"Did he. . ."

"Do it? No. He was mad that I thought he was capable, even though he had tried it under the influence of drugs--- you need to understand that this was the man who had killed his father and had gotten away with it for years and taunted him about it. He was mad that I confessed on my timetable and not his.

I got booted out of the program and almost lost my job. He got a verbal reprimand and involved with the main suspect in the case."

"Nice."

"I should say that he and she didn't actually start dating till I dumped his ungrateful ass, but, I had a feeling it was coming so I don't think it should count."

Frank laughed at that: "I'll help you get your license."

"Thanks Frank," Natalie said as she stood up and hugged him loosely around the neck.

"Hey, you making time with my girl?" Rocky asked as he walked into the room.

"Nah, he's just helping me out," Natalie said as she took a step back.

"Something wrong?"

"No, something's getting right," she answered. "How's work?" she continued as she went around the bar to pour him a drink.

"Good, shouldn't you be off?"

"Nope. Took a shift so your brother and Ash could go out."

"Again."

"Well, she's going to be covering a few of mine," Natalie shrugged not looking at him.

"Meaning we get to go out?"

"Not exactly," she said, earning another raised eyebrow from Frank. "I. . . umm. . . I have to go see one of my brothers for a couple of days."

"I thought you didn't get along with your family," Frank said.

"Don't. Doesn't mean I don't have to make an appearance every now and then," she replied easily.

"Guess not," Rocky sighed. "Timing kinds sucks though. I really wanted you here for my Dad's party."

"I know. But I have to do this. The sooner I get this done. . ."

"Besides, once I get her paperwork pushed through she'll be too busy to," Frank put in.

"What paperwork?"

"You didn't tell him?"

"Well, I didn't want there to be a problem if you said no," Natalie shrugged, then at the look from the two men added: "I don't like to be the cause of family turmoil."

"Fine, I'll let you tell him now then," Frank said leaving.

"Well. . ."

"I'm applying for my PI license. Frank's going to push through the paperwork."

"That's great."

"Yeah. It is. . ."

Chapter 3

_Getting the FAA report was surprisingly easy._

_Turns out being John McBain's girl was worth something after all._

_(Of course, saying that I was hired to look into it for a possible civil suit by the deceases' not quite balanced daughter didn't hurt my plea much either, especially when I pretended to be bored by the whole thing.)_

_I read it over on the flight that the Coopers never knew I took._

_The private one on the family's plane._

_Of course, read it is putting it mildly._

_I devoured it. _

_Pulled out of it every bit of information I could._

_Pulled apart the pictures._

_Even realized something that no one else seemed to._

_Part of me thinks it was because I was looking for it._

_But I can't forget that moment of realization._

_When another picture held the truth._

_Marler wasn't alone on that plane when it went down. . ._

Natalie stood in the doorway of the hacienda tapping her foot in annoyance as she swung her hair over her shoulder and looked at her watch. She was going to give her eldest brother two more minutes before she burst in on him. The element of surprise was all she had going for her and she knew it.

As she was, she was pretty sure she had enough to knock him off balance. "And if I'm wrong he's going to want to send me to St. Ann's," she muttered under her breathe as the maid who had answered the door came towards her and looked at her with little amusement.

"Mr. Roberts will see you now."

"Great," Natalie said as she picked up her briefcase and followed the older woman into the living room, noting that Cord was hurriedly finishing up a phone call and was not too pleased to see her. _Well, what did you expect. Even if he's not involve in some insidious plan, he's not exactly the type to welcome you with open arms, _a voice in her head mocked.

"Natalie, this is certainly--- unexpected," Cord said as he turned to her and dismissed his housekeeper with a curt nod.

"Well, I could say that I was in the neighborhood, but we'd both know that was a lie," she answered evenly, as she glanced around the room.

Cord laughed slightly at that: "should I take it that you have some reason for being here?"

"Gee, what gave it away?" Natalie asked as she looked at the couch. "Mind if I take a seat? This might take a while."

"Go ahead. . . but. . . I. . . in all honestly, Natalie, I wished you had called. I really don't have a lot of time right now."

"If I had called, you would have given me the round around. You never have much time at any time. Why is that Cord?" she asked as she stared at him, taking in how he seemed nervous--- or was that her imagination.

"I'm a busy man."

"Right," she sighed as she crossed her legs. "Even too busy to join your siblings at your grandfather's funeral for a drink."

"I don't follow."

"Funny how few of us follow things. Then again, how something's just sort of. . . I don't know. . . follow us, no matter how we want to run away from them," she said as she took out a picture of her and 'Clint' from the Casino fundraiser. "You know, it's the oddest thing. I wanted to leave Land View and the family behind me.

Drove and Drove.

Finally stopped outside of this boarding house that needed a waitress and had a room.

Decided to stay a while.

Made a few friends.

Even started to see a guy.

Nothing to serious.

He's a little younger than me.

His sister's not too keen on me," Natalie shrugged as she leaned back in the seat and watched Cord, lifting her hair off her neck as she stretched and recrossed her legs. "Weirdest thing happened though.

I was helping him get together a slideshow for his father's birthday--- real nice guy his dad.

And there was this picture," she continued reaching into her bag again. "Oh, not this one exactly. His sister thought the one that caught my attention should be used in the slideshow--- but I didn't think much of the one I saw," she said laying the picture down next to the newspaper clipping. "Not until she gave me a hard time about staring at it. Asked me if I knew this guy name Marler.

A dead guy.

I just thought he looked like dad. . ." Natalie paused, taking in Cord's strickened look. "That is, until another picture caught my eye. . .

That one doesn't matter right now. Does it? Because the man in that picture with me at Casino Night wasn't Clint Buchanan, was he?"

"Natalie. . . I don't know what you're. . ."

"The internet's a crazy thing. I've learned a few things after what happened with Michael/Mitch," she shot back pulling out a stack of newspaper articles from the Banner and Springfield Journal. "See, after that night I started having nightmares where Dad didn't look like. . . he was bigger. Broader. . . More like Asa. . .I couldn't ignore it."

Cursing, Cord wiped a hand over his face: "You don't know what you're unleashing here."

"So it is true. And you did know."

"I thought. . ."

"I figured it out," Natalie said tiredly, watching him deflate. "Didn't quite believe it. Couldn't. Not till now. . . I mean. . . if he was . . . he had to. . . and other people had to have. . ."

"We had no choice," Cord admitted as he moved to sit next to her on the couch. "Not if we wanted to keep Dad alive."

"So he's. . ."

"Yeah."

Natalie swallowed back a sob and started to shake: "I wasn't sure. . . I didn't want to. . ."

Uneasily, Cord pulled her into a hug: "they said it was the only way. . .one of them had to die and . . ."

"How was he able to pull it off? And what about his family? They think. . ." she started pulling away.

"He doesn't remember anything but what he was told by. . . I don't know who. They had already decided it when. . . Asa, your Mom, and Bo know. I only know because someone has had to be there for Dad," Cord admitted.

"That's why you weren't there when Jess was sick."

"Something like that," Cord hedged as a voice called through the house.

"Cord! Where are you! Someone pulled up the FAA report on the plane crash and we need to. . ." the blonde said coming to a sudden halt in the doorway of the living room.

"Jess?" Natalie asked surprised as she stared at her half-sister, only to realize that something wasn't quite right. The features where similar, but off somehow.

Softer.

And the hair and make up.

It was more sophisticated and understated.

And the clothes. . .

This was. . .

"Sh!t!" Jessica said as she looked at her older half-brother. "Why the hell didn't you warn me?"

"Why didn't you?" he asked as he got to his feet, and then quieted her with a hand gesture. "Doesn't matter anyway. Cat's partway out of the bag anyway. Apparently Natalie's the one who got the FAA report anyway?"

"Why would you do that, Natty?" Jessica asked.

"You don't call me. . .'

"I always. . ." she started to correct as Natalie looked sideways at Cord and let out a harsh laugh: "oh, don't tell me. The Jessica in Land View isn't the real one either?"


	2. Chapter 2

**You Don't Know Me**

AN's I see Jessica Brennan as BW and Jessica Buchanan as ET

**Chapter 4**

Jessica Brennan smiled as she sat across from her daughter at the table, a feeling of peace falling over her as she handed the girl a spoon and laughed as the toddler tried to get the food onto it into her mouth. "You won't be smiling for long if you don't find that wayward sister of yours," Jared said from the nearby doorway.

Glaring as she looked away from her daughter to him, Jess blew her bangs out of her face: "Nash could be in hearing distance. And he knows I sure as hell wouldn't help you get together with Natalie," she said through gritted teeth.

"You mean the real Jessica Buchanan wouldn't help me get into her sister's pants," Jared laughed as he pushed himself away from the archway and crossed to her, laughing at the indignation he saw flitter across her face. "The whine man's gone to check his grapes. We're fine for a while."

"No, Jared. We're not," she said as she pushed to her feet. "We can't. . . I can't. . ." she shook her head. "I don't know how I let you. .. I _am _Jessica Buchanan.

The _only _one.  
You got to me when I was Tess and you twisted things to get what you wanted.  
I got away from you the only way I could at the time.  
You're making me pay for that even now, and it's not right. Its not.

Natalie ran away from home because of you.

I won't force you on my sister."

Jared laughed at her outburst: "You really are a head case, aren't you?" he said as he crossed to her, forcing her to back into the wall and using his body to make sure that she was trapped there. "You are _not_ a Buchanan.  
I know exactly _who_ and _what_ you are.  
Did from the moment you walked into that casino.  
Thought you were just playing one of your head games on me," he said using his hand to rub her cheek as he moved closer to her. "You always did like to play games."

Swallowing, Jess kneed him in the groin and pushed him away from her: "well, how's that for a game?" she asked a bit out of breathe. "I don't know where my sister is. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

Glaring at her as he tried to get his breathe back, he watched as she grabbed her daughter and started to try to get out of the room. "That was a mistake.  
I will find her.  
I will make her mine.  
And I will make you pay for this and every other thing you've done to me.  
You. . . you really turned into one of them," he spat out as he got to his feet. "That was a fatal mistake."

"Jessica, you ok?" Nash called from the door. "He threatening you?"

Jessica swallowed, seeing something in Jared's eyes. Something familiar and at the same time, something she didn't want to acknowledge. "No. Jared was just talking about. . . about . . . a. . . umm. . . a business deal he's having a problem with. There's a flaw in the . . . planning. . . He was hoping I knew how to get in touch with Natalie. She could save the deal. . . I was just saying I didn't. . . he said if I was lying. . . it could be a fatal mistake for BE. . . financially speaking of course. . ." she somehow managed to get out, unable to tear her eyes away from the man in question.

"See, Brennan. Nothing to worry about," Jared laughed. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have a business deal to salvage. . ."

* * *

"Natalie. . ." Cord started in a condescending voice.

"No. . . I should've. . ." she started as she pushed to her feet and looked at her sister, cocking her head to the side and taking in the differences. "Your voice is different. You're a little taller and. . . there's something else. . . something. . ." she exhaled and started to pace. "The next thing you're going to tell me is that John isn't John but Caleb Morley. . . although that would make sense. . ." she said on a hollow laugh.

"Who the hell is Caleb Morley?" Cord asked.

"A famous rock singer," Jessica answered as she watched her sister in concern. "My question's who's John."

"Her ex fiancé," Cord answered.

"Technically he never proposed so, I don't think he counts as an ex fiancé," Natalie countered as she spun around and looked from one to the other: "is there anyone else who isn't who they're supposed to be that I should know about in this?"

"Not unless Patrick London rose from the dead," Jessica quipped as she crossed to plop down on the couch.

"Who?" Natalie asked.

"Don't confuse the situation," Cord admonished the blonde over her and then paused. "And how do you even know about that?"

"What? You think I didn't research anyone else who could possible rise up and cause problems for the family?" Jessica laughed. "I've done my homework and then some Cordero." Sobering slightly she looked over to her twin: "apparently, I'm not the only one."

Exhaling on a shiver Natalie looked over at Jessica, overcome by old insecurities: "how long has it not been you? I mean. . ."

"I never came back from London," Jessica admitted.

Natalie nodded as she looked away embarrassed, letting out a small laugh: "I kinda. . . I don't. . . I. . . it makes sense now, I guess. . .  
You must really hate me.  
I mean. . . I should've known. . . right?  
Sisters. . . . twins. . ."

Jessica shook her head: "Natty, Kevin and Joey never picked up on the difference. Never mind Mom, Dad. . . Chris. . . a lot of other people, who, as much as I hate to say it. . . they knew me a hell of a lot better than you did.  
She's fooled a lot of people for a long time."

"But not Cord," Natalie laughed. "And he was home for what? Twenty minutes?"

"I didn't find out when I went to bring Sara to London," Cord admitted. "Jessica found me."

"Seems my . . . what? Doubleganger? Well, she couldn't fool Will," Jess admitted: "or Lindsey when she's unbalanced."

"So. . . what? He. . ."

"Found me," Jessica shrugged. "Something to be said for first loves, I guess."

"Yeah, when they're not Seth," Natalie shot back as she moved to sit back down next to her sister.

"First _real_ loves," Jess laughed. "Truth. Yours was Chris."

Nat blushed at the accusation, "maybe."

"And he'd probably still do just about anything for you."

"Only if you weren't involved. You'd come first. Always did," Natalie admitted, then sighed. "That's not the point. . . I still don't understand. . . how did this happen.  
How does someone just take over your life?  
How the hell did you let _her?_"

Jessica looked down at her hands uncomfortably: "I was convinced I had no other choice," she admitted.

"Right. Like the only way to keep the family safe---Dad alive--- is to allow another man to pretend to be him while his family thinks he's dead," she accused as she lifted her own eyes to look accusingly from brother to sister: "You guys do realize that although he has a grown daughter he has twin sons that are Starr's age and a daughter that's Matthew's?"

"It can't be helped," Cord remarked.

"It can't?" Natalie asked jumping to her feet going toe to toe with her older half-brother. "Do you have _any_ idea what its like to think that the person you love isn't coming home again? To have been waiting for him, or in your case her, and the knock on the door being the police saying they aren't coming? That they're dead? There's no body. What's left is unidentifiable. Just pieces.  
The last memory. . . that piece. . . wanting to go back, make it special.  
Trying to remember if you kissed them goodbye or if you were too distracted.  
Did you say I love you the last time you spoke or was it a 'me too' or some other expression that meant it, but not the words?  
The emptiness.  
The nightmares. . ." she shook her head. "And that's his wife. What do you think it's like for his kids?  
Their mother's gone off the deep end.  
Regressed to a person they don't know.  
Someone she was before she was in love with their father, changed by that love.  
Their sister had a breakdown--- partly because of a traumatic head injury because of her cop husband who is. . . if I'm right. . . pretty deep in this and not the man they think he is and is just pretending he is and has stolen a man's identity and is ruining his good name and reputation--- and THAT CAN'T BE HELPED?!?!?!?"

Jessica bit her lip to hold back her laughter at her brother's expression at being on the receiving end of one of Natalie's tirade's: "No one warned you that she took more after the Buchanan side of the family than Mom did they?" she asked.

"And you," Natalie said turning her anger on her twin: "Doesn't it bother you that she's there. . . ruining your good name? She is basically causing people to think of you as. . . well, for lack of a better word. . . a slut.  
She's stolen your name.  
Your life.  
Your identity.  
And for the life of me I don't understand how the hell you can sit there and say that you didn't have a choice in the matter.  
Maybe if you had come home and said something this Marler person wouldn't be pretending to be Dad right now."

"Natalie, that's uncalled for!" Cord admonished as Jessica got to her feet to take on her twin.

"Don't, Cord. I can fight my own battles," Jessica put in. "But let's make sure I'm fighting the right one.  
Because you're not just angry about the fact that my not saying something led to something happening to Dad. You want to know why I rolled over and let her take over my life when I fought you so damned hard, don't you?"

Natalie exhaled angrily for a moment: "well, until you said it, I didn't realize it. But you know what. Damned straight I do. Why would you fight me when it was mine and not her when it's yours? You made me fight for what was mine every step of the way _Jessie_. Why give it to her _Jessie?_ Huh? Why let her take your name? Your place? Your life?" she shot back wanting to push her twin as hard as she seemed to want to push her right now.

"Because you taught be it would be waiting for me when I wanted it back," Jessica answered evenly.

"Excuse me?"

"Mom and Dad would love me anyway," Jessica answered. "And hell, maybe I was tired at first. I fought you so damned long and then found out that I hadn't had to. .. I mean who the hell was to say that she wasn't a triplet or something?"

"You really are pushing it, you know that?" Natalie asked, looking at her twin as if she was nuts.

Jessica exhaled and at the look on her twin's face couldn't help but laugh: "Yeah, I do."

Shaking her head Natalie started to laugh as well: "triplets. That would really have gone over.

Although, I have to admit. She looks more like you than I do. . .."

Jess sighed: "you really up to hearing the hows and whys?"

"I need to," Natalie admitted as she looked from one sibling to the other. "I take it Cord already knows?"

"Yeah," he replied, his voice tinged with exasperation as he watched the exchange in confusion. "Jess. . .she told me when. . ."

"You better go and get Dad," Jessica interrupted him. "Can't delay him too much longer or he's going to know something's wrong."

"Should. . . umm. . . ."

"I'll prepare her. You prepare him," Jessica told Cord, then turned her attention back to her sister as he nodded and started out.

"Maybe I shouldn't be here when Clint. . ."

"_Dad_ is going to want to se. . .. want you to be here when he gets here," Jessica cut Natalie off.

"But not to see me," Natalie said. "It's alright Jess. You. . . you never were that good of a liar. You stopped yourself from saying. . .I'll make sure I'm gone. . ."

"Natty. . . its not. . ." Jessica exhaled. "I wanted to explain my stuff first. . .Daddy. . . he was hurt in the plane crash."

"I'm not surprised.

The photos in the report. . . the report itself. . . it was pretty bad. . ." Natalie admitted as she wrapped her arms over her chest as if to ward off a chill. "I suppose it's more surprising that the two of them survived it."

"Not without injury," Jessica reminded. "Ross Marler lost his memories. The agencies involved in the case--- whatever it is---- they replaced them with Dad's because he couldn't help them anymore because of his injuries."

"Cord said he had to be with him. . . I. . . thought that he'd be better by now. . . I hadn't. . ."

"Physically he's almost completely recovered," Jess reassured her hurriedly, her own voice breaking slightly. "To see him, you'd never know. . . I mean. . . he gets around as if. . . if you didn't know. . .I like to think part of it is because of what Sara taught him before. . . the first time. . ."

"Jessie. . .the first time what?" Natalie asked uneasily.

"That's right. Its one of those things we don't talk about. Like Mom's stroke or the Cancer. . ." she sighed. "Dad was shot in the head. I don't remember how old I was. . . the fragments shifted and he. . . he lost his sight for a while. . . then. . . then there was a riding accident or something and. . . he got it back. . . and. . ." she shook her head. "We never talked about it. It was one of those forgotten things. Only, when he woke up after the plane crash he. . . he couldn't. . . um. . ."

"You said he'd want me here and not that he'd want to see me because he can't--- see me that is. He's blind because of the crash," Natalie filled in.

"Yeah."

"Does he know that. . ."

"That there are two Jessica's running around?" Jess asked through her tears.

"You know, technically speaking since I was the baby they brought home from the hospital there. . ."

"Shut up!" Jessica interrupted as she grabbed a pillow from behind her and threw it at Natalie.

"What?" she asked innocently as she caught the pillow and hugged it to her chest, leaning tiredly back against the back of the couch.

"I don't believe you were trying to make me laugh by saying that!"

"Well. You know, it is true," Natalie remarked looking at her sister trying to keep a straight face.

Jessica tried to glare at Natalie but only started to laugh while wiping away tears: "this is so inappropriate!"

"Gallows humor," Natalie agreed as she wiped away the tears that were streaming down her own cheeks.

"You spent way too much time with Roxy growing up, you do know that, don't you?"

"Funny I was going to blame it on the business lessons from Asa," Natalie sighed. "Or too much time at the cop shop."

"You're a cop now?" Jess asked.

"I was studying forensics for a while."

"Was?"

"Big surprise. I screwed up," Natalie sighed. "The upside is it gave me the background to put together enough of the picture to come here. Downside: got to see Uncle Bo's disappointed face again."

"Natalie I know how much he. . ."

"Yeah. . ." she interrupted tiredly. "Jessie, can you do me a favor?"

"I can try."

"Call me Natty. . . at least when we're alone. . . it will help me remember. . ."

"Which Jessica you're talking to?"

"Yeah," she admitted uncomfortably.

Jessica looked away from her twin and out the nearby window: "to answer your question: Dad knows."

"Jess?"

"He didn't at first.

But one day he called to talk to Mom.

He wanted to check up on us. He did it from time to time. . . anyway, whoever answered said she was at the hospital with me and then I walked in. . ." Jessica sighed as she turned to look back at her sister. "I finally had to tell him the truth. . . He blames himself for not. . . not being there. . . not knowing. . ."

"Who is she, Jess?"

"I don't know. Not for sure. . . . From what I could find out and piece together I think she's some girl that Mitch found in case. . ."

"In case he couldn't find me. . ." Natalie deduced. Slowly she rose to her feet and started to pace: "it's ironic. The day that I started this. Found the pictures that lead me to. . . I was arguing with the older sister of this guy I'm kinda seeing.

I was talking about Ben. . . I said out loud for the first time how I thought people must blame me for what happened to him. . . because if it weren't for me Alison wouldn't have. . ."

"Natty. Don't think like that. . ." Jessica as she watched her sister sadly.

Stopping, Natalie turned to Jessica: "the thing is. I told her that the consolation I had was that at least he didn't die because of some con.

That I knew on some level that if Mitch hadn't have found me he would've put someone else in there in my place.

He did anyway, didn't he?"

"There's no way of knowing for sure," Jess sighed. "I don't have any proof. Its just suspicions. Ramsey won't tell me anything."

"Lee Ramsey?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah. You know him?"

"Unfortunately," she said, then going on a hunch asked: "Kathryn Fitzgerald involved in anyway?"

"I remember a Fitzgerald, but her name wasn't Kathryn. It was. . ."

"Caitlyn. . ." Natalie gasped.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess," she exhaled. "Explains why Ramsey has it in for John. She wasn't just some school teacher."

"What?"

"Nothing. . ." Natalie sighed. "Just we can't trust this Ramsey."

"Tell me something I don't already know," Jess said with a roll of her eyes. "I got out from out of his thumb years ago with the help of Patrick and Marty Thornhart."

"Well she's good for something after all."

"You know Marty?"

"Unfortunately."

"How?"

"She's dating my ex."

"Natty, that's not possible. . ."

"It's very possible and is happening right now," interrupted annoyed.

"No, its not. Marty's been hospitalized because of complications from her Lupus for months. Not to mention that she and Patrick are. . ."

Natalie put up her hand and stopped Jessica from going further as she ran a hand through her hair: "Jessica, remember that question about other imposters running around Land View that I should know about?"

"Oh," Jessica replied than as realization dawned added: "You have got to be kidding me."

"Do I look like I am?"

"Great," she muttered lapsing them into silence until she couldn't take anymore and remarked: "but there's no connection. . ."

"Maybe it wasn't only because of Mitch. . ." Natalie pointed out. "Maybe the Buchanans weren't the target. . ."

"Natty. . I was the first. . ."

Natalie looked at her briefcase: "Maybe not. It wasn't only Marler's picture that threw me. In fact I would've just past it off as a BE/Spaulding or BE/Lewis business connection. . . but this. . . this one. . . I couldn't just drop. . . especially because the man they said was in the picture is running around Springfield with a different face," she said as she went to pull out the wedding picture of Harley and Mallet.

"Natty you're not making any sense. . ." Jess said as she moved to where her sister was pulling pictures from the briefcase.

"Look at this picture and tell me who _you think_ the man in it is, ok?" Natalie said handing the picture to Jess. Then added at her look: "just humor me, ok?"

"Fine," Jess said taking it. She stared at it then back at her sister: "it looks like Ben. But he. . . he was only married to mom and Skye. . . well that we know of. . . I mean. . .it could be him but. . .so he was married to someone else and didn't tell us."

"The man in that picture's name is AC Mallet," Natalie said. "At least that's what the woman next to him told me when she confronted me about my reaction to the picture. Funny thing is. . ." she paused handing her sister a second picture, this one a clipping from The Springfield Journal: "So's this one."

Jess put the two pictures next to each other and then looked at her sister: "they look as much alike as. . ."

"Dad and Ross Marler?" Natalie asked with more than a little of her old attitude. "Ya think?"

"Natty this doesn't prove. . ."

"Mallet's a cop with the Springfield PD. Marler was the DA. They worked together. The 'new' Mallet's married to his daughter. . . ."

"Ok, one problem. How the hell did the 'old' Mallet become Ben? And that's assuming there really is two," Jessica sighed. "And if there is we could be in a lot more trouble than. . ."

"We thought," Natalie admitted cutting her off. "Because somehow my ex is involved in this too. And there's also the fact that Marler's wife's father was a government agent with a lot of enemies."

"Oh my g-d. . ." Jess started as she deflated onto the couch.

"I didn't come here unprepared, Jessie," Natalie admitted. "You being here. . . someone pretending to be you back home. . ." she started to say as a door opening could be heard in the background, "that caught me off guard. There's a cover up. Someone is trying to destroy a lot of families. At the least someone's trying to take over BE, whether that's related or not I don't know.  
Will you help me fix this?  
Will you fight them with me?"

Jessica swallowed: "hell, what choice do we have?"

"What choice does who have about what?" Clint asked from the doorway. "And who are you talking to, Jessie?"

Swallowing Jessica plastered a smile onto her face as she looked over to her sister and nodded. "What? Cord didn't tell you that you have a visitor?"

"Said we had company but wasn't sure if they'd be here when I got back," Clint admitted as he walked into the room and paused. "I take it she stayed."

"She did," Jessica said as she watched Natalie watch their father uneasily. "We were just talking about saving a family business from outsiders. I was just about to say that I was up for the fight of taking them on."

Clint chuckled at that: "years of work on your psychology degree so you can work in business. Your grandfather would certainly love that," he teased as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"I think Grandpa would get a bigger kick out of who I'm working with than the fact that I'm working on a hostile take over bid," Jessica sighed. "Although it isn't exactly one is it?" she asked as she looked over to Natalie who was putting away the pictures she had just shown her sister.

"You're the one who apparently has a lawyer on speed dial. Ask him. Besides, I don't want to have worry about facing insider trading charges," she shot back.

"You're the one who ran away from home and business," Jess retorted, shifting her eyes up to her father's face as his body tensed at the exchange.

Watching them, Natalie shrugged as she bit her lip and fought back the urge to run to her father and beg him to forgive her for not knowing that an imposter had taken his place. For not trying to find him sooner.

For not knowing that Jessica wasn't Jessica.

"I already told you, Jess. I had my reasons. I. . . I had to get away."

"If that McBain did something to hurt you again, I will make sure your uncle runs his sorry hide out of Land View once and for all," Clint said as he dropped his arm from around Jessica shoulders.

"It wasn't John this time," Natalie said with a slight smile. "And Uncle Bo isn't going to do anything to his top detective. At least not for me. Believe me, I learned that lesson the hard way," she admitted, a touch a bitterness in her voice.

Shaking his head Clint took a step towards where he was pretty sure his daughter was standing and then stopped: "well, are you going to stand there all day or are you going to come over here and give your Pa a hug?"

"I wasn't sure. . ." Natalie started and then stopped herself before she all but ran into his arms. "I'm sooo sorry, Clint. . . I didn't. . ."

Wrapping his arms around her Clint kissed her head: "Hey, hey… What's with this Clint stuff? I thought we got pass that a long time ago."

Sighing Natalie nodded as she inhaled the scent of his cologne, trying to memorize it. Trying to take in every piece of information from this brief contact with him that she could so that she wouldn't be fooled ever again: "I thought so too. . . I guess.. . . I guess, I'm just a little unsure of. . . well. . . a lot of things," she admitted as she pulled away and looked up at him.

"I'm surprised that they told you the truth," he said softly his head angled down as if he was looking down at her.

"They didn't.

I figured it out on my own," she told him. "Like Jessie said. I ran away from home and business. I kinda ran smack into Ross Marler's life along the way and. . ."

"And you had to find out some answers," Clint sighed in exasperation as he stepped back. "As happy as I am that you're here. . . Natalie do you realize how much danger you can be in now?" he asked softening his tone, not wanting to hurt her by his initial words.

"Was all along. Just didn't know it," she said brushing off his concern. "I couldn't let this go. . . at first I tried to. . . I thought it was a coincidence . . . but then I started having nightmares and realized that when I first met my dad he didn't look like the man who was my dad when I left Land View. And he didn't treat me. . ." she stopped short, wishing she could take back her last words as Clint tensed.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing."

"Natalie, did he. . . did he hurt you?"

Natalie exhaled: "Not. . .he's not you, ok? He doesn't treat me how you would have. . . Like just now. . . what you said about John?. . . There were times when. . . well, the problem was always mine. . . not John's. . .  
And there's a new guy--- Jared.  
He's. . . he works at BE.  
I hired him on a bet.  
It was one that I lost.  
Playing pool of all things.  
I still say he cheated," she pouted earning a slight laugh from Clint that quickly stopped as she continued: "And because he was bothering. . .the other Jessica."

Clint shook his head at that: "how long have you known about that?"

Natalie looked at her watch and then back at her father: "about 45 minutes."

"Handling that one better than I did," he said as he moved around her and went to sit on the couch.

"I'm not quite sure it's sunk in yet," she confessed. "Anyway, I fired him because he was basically sexually harassing me at work. The other---- Ross, he umm…. He teased me about it. . . thought I had a thing for Jared. . . and all but ordered me to rehire him.

"Before or after he broke his jaw?"

Natalie laughed: "like I said, he's _not_ you."

"Ross was a good man. I thought that at least if I couldn't protect you girls he could. Or at least you'd have Bo."

"Uncle Bo tried. . . . I just. . . I think I disappointed him one time too many," Natalie admitted as she went to sit next to her father on the couch.

"I don't think that that's possible," Jessica said as she went to join them.

"You don't know what I did," Natalie said tiredly looking at her sister sadly. "Besides, it was never the same between me and Uncle Bo from the minute he had to tell me about John being dead. . . part of me thinks he thought it would be easier coming from him. . . but I think it broke something in him to have to be the one to tell me. . . and then when John turned out to be Hugh and Hugh was really dead and he had to tell his girlfriend Paige. . ." she shook her head as she tried to fight back tears. "How could he be happy for me when he had to break her heart? And he had to remember how I begged him to let me see John's body because I thought it was a mistake. . . how. . ."

Clint leaned over and pulled Natalie too him, "I wish to G-d I had been there for you. That you didn't have to go through that. . . I swore to myself that I would be there for you more. . . after your mother got sick. . . I saw how much you needed me. . . I thought. . . "

"You're here now," Natalie said softly. "I can't stay long. . . but. . . I can stay for a little while, can't I? And you'll let me call? Come back?"

"If it's safe. . ." Clint agreed. "I won't risk your safety."

"Just like I won't risk yours or Jessie's. You have to know that," Natalie said simply. "I mean. . . I know you haven't said anything. . . but you have to be worried about it. . . So. . . you can't tell Mom or Uncle Bo or. . . or anyone that I know too. . . that I've been here."

Clint closed his eyes: "honey, I don't even know if they know I'm still alive. I stopped calling them once I found out the truth about Jessica. I was too afraid that I would slip and say something if one of them brought up the other one."

"So then. . . you don't know about. . . about Grandpa?"

"What about your Grandpa?" Clint asked.

"Well that Grandpa's. . ."

"Grandpa's what?" a familiar voice asked from the doorway causing Natalie to look up and gasp. "Frankly I'd like to know myself what story they're spinning. . ."


End file.
